Elevator signaling system



Feb. 9, 1932. H. w. MATTINGLY ET AL ELEVATOR SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Nov.27. 1929 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEHAROLD W. MATTINGLY, OF SWISSVALE, AND BIRNEY B. HINES, OF WILKINSB'URG,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOIRS TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING iCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ELEVATOR SIGNALING SYSTEMApplication filed November 27', 1929.

Our invention relates to dispatching systems and floor-lantern signalsystems for elevator cars.

It has been customary to provide a floor lantern adjacent to eachelevator shaft at the terminal or loading floor, whereby it may beindicated which of the elevators is approaching the floor and preparingto take on passengers.

In prior elevator signaling systems, the floor lantern was usuallyenergized by the arrival of the car at the terminal or loading floor andit remained lighted as long as the car stood at that Hoor. In suchsystems, the lantern was not extinguished until the car had actuallymoved away from the floor. Vheu a sufficient number of passengers hadboarded the car at this terminal to fully load the car, or the operatordecided to start the car from the floor for any other reason he closedthe door against oli-coming passengers who had been attracted by theilluminated floor lantern; This was difficult for the operator and wasdisappointing to the passengers who were in a hurry to catch an elevatorcar and had been attracted by a false signl.

Many elevator systems include a dispatching system which gives a signalto each operator when it is time for him to start his car from theterminal landing as by flashing a light provided on each car for thispurpose. If the operators obey the dispatching signals, the cars willleave the terminal iloor at regular intervals and in a certain order,whereby the best and most uniform service will be rendered. It is,however, diilicult for an operator to start promptly when passengers arestill being attracted to his car by the illuminated l'loor lantern, andit may not be `iossible for the operator to leave immediately, underthese conditions. As a consequence, cars are frequently thrown out ofproper order and rotation by such delays. Further'- more, the usualdispatching signal, consisting merely of a flash of light, is of suchshort duration that it may not be seen by the operator.

An object of our invention is to remedy the Serial No. 410,117.

disadvantages of prior systems above set forth.

It is an object of our invention to provide an elevator-dispatching andHoor-lantern system of such character that the floor-lantern signal willbe extinguished as soon as the dispatching signal is given.

It is a further object of our invention to provide, in anelevator-dispatching system, means whereby the dispatching signal willbe maintained until the car leaves the terminal floor at which itreceives the signal.

Itis another object of our invention to provide, in anelevator-dispatching and floorlantern system, means whereby the floorlantern shall be extinguished as soon as the dispatchinor signal isreceived, and the dispatching signal will be maintained until the carleaves the terminal floor, whereupon the system will be restored tonormal condition.

Our invention is more specifically disclosed in connection with a.system of the type disclosed in the application of FrankA E. Lewis,Serial No. 215,392, filed August 25, 1927, (case No. 18,280), but it mayobviously be applied, as an improvement, to any elevatordispatching andfloor-lantern system.

Our invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which The sole figure is a diagrammatic representation ofour invention, as applied to a bank of three elevators.

Referring to the drawing, we have illustrated three elevator carsdesignated, respectively, as A., B and C, each of which may be suspendedand operated by any conventional elevator apparatus (not shown). Each ofthe cars operates in a separate elevator shaft represented between thedotted lines appearing on the drawing.

A floor-selector switch is provided in connection with each car, eachcomprising a contact strip 10, the length of which is representative ofthe distance between the upper and thc lower floors, and a movablecontact brush 13 having sliding engagement therewith. The movable brush13 is mechanically connected to the car in such manner that itsmovements along the contact strip 10 will correspond to the movementsor" the car along the shaft. Adjacent to one extremity of strip 10 is aContact segment 11 in such position, relative to the strip 10, that thecontact brush 13, when in its eXtreme position as when the correspondingcar is at the terminal floor, will establish a conductive con-V nectiontherebetween. The contact strip 10 and contact brush 13 may constitutethe usual floor-selector switch and, in conjunction with contact member11, may serve also to control the floor lantern 30. A second similarselector switch 20, 21 and 22 is provided to extinguish the dispatchingsignal.

It will be noted that the elevator cars A, B and@ and their associatedcontact-brush members 13A and 22A; 13B and 22B; 13C and 22C are shown invarious corresponding positions. The car A is shown at the terminalfloor, and its corresponding contact brushes 13A and 22A are shown inthe corresponding position where connection is established from 10A to11A and from 20A to 21 A.

Terminal iioor lanterns 30A, 30B, 30G, etc. are provided, one on theoutside of each corresponding elevator shaft, where they may be seen byprospective passengers. Illumination of one of the lanterns indicates tothe approaching passengers which one of the cars is ready to receivethem. The lanterns are controlled by the contacts 13, 22 which move inaccordance with the movement of the corresponding car, whereby a floorlantern is illuminated as soon as its car moves into loadlng position atthat floor.

Each car carries a dispatching signal 31 which is operated to give anindication to the operator that it is time to start his car from thefloor. A dispatching device D for controlling these signals 31 maycomprise any suitable commutating device 1 for successively energizing aplurality of circuits at regular intervals and a motor for driving thesame.

Any suitable speed-reducing connecting means may be provided between themotor and the Commutating device. The dispatcher is representeddiagrammatically at the upper left-hand portion of the drawing.

c Our system is best understood with reference to an assumed operationthereof. Assuming that the elevator car A has arrived at the terminalfloor, the contacts 13A and 22A, movable in connection therewith, willoccupy the lowermo'st position, as shown, whereby a connection isestablished Jfrom 10A to 11A and 20A to 21A. The connection of Contactstrip 10A to Contact segment 11A establishes an energizing circuit forthe corresponding floor lantern 30A which is now illuminated to indicateto approaching passengers that car A is ready to take on passengers,which circuit extends from line conductor L1, by way of conductors 8 and9, through contact strip 10A and Contact brush 13A, to Contact segment11A, conductor 15, normally closed contacts a of relay 100A, conductor16, lantern 30A and conductor 17, to line conductor L2.

The commutator 1 of the dispatcher D is driven continuously by the motorlvl to establish connections i'rom line conductor L1 to the conductors38, 48 and 58 successively. However, the circuit to the dispatchingsignal of any car will not be completed unless its associated contactbrush and contactsegments 21 and 22 are in Aigagiing relation. Thecontact brush and segments 21A and 22A of car A are engaging, hence, itsdispatching signal 31A will be energized when the correspondingconductor 33 is energized by a circuit which extends from line conductorL1, through conductor 33, brush 34, shaft 35, commutating segment 3G,brush 37, conductor 38, contact strip 20A, contact brush 22A, contactsegment 21A, conductors 43 and 42, signal 31A and conductors 39 and i7,to line conductor L2. The winding ot relay lOOAfwill be energizedsimultaneously with the signal 31A through a circuit which eX- tends inparallel therewith from contact segment 21A, through conductor 43 andthe winding of the relay 100A and, by way ot conductors 44 and 19, tothe line conductor1 L2. Relay 100 now pulls up, opening its normallyclosed contact members a and thereb opening the circuit to floor lantern30A. nsequentially, the floor lantern is extinguished as soon as thedispatching signal is given, irrespective of when the car leaves thefloor. The prospective passengers, no longer being attracted` to car A,the operator will be able to close the doors and start the car from thefloor more promptly than if the passengers continued to force their waytoward his car. Furthermore, the passengers will be spared thedisappointment of receiving a false signal and attempting to board a carjust as the door is being closed.

Simultaneously with the opening of the contacts a of relay 100A, justdiscussed, occurs the closing of normally open contacts b. Thiscompletes a self-holding circuit for the relay and dispatching signalwhich will be traced subsequently. As a result oi this self-holdingcircuit, the dispatching signal persists is certa-in to attract theattention ot the operator, whereas a signal of short duration might beoverlooked.

The self-holding circuit may be tracer Jfrom line conductor L1, throughconductors 3 and 46, through contacts ZJ and, by wav of conductor 47, toconductor 38, through contact strip 20A, contact brush 22A, contactsegment 21A, conductor 43, winding 100A and conductors 44 and 19, toline conductor L2. Consequentially, the relay 100 will remain energizedthrough itsown contacts and car actuated members 21A, 22A and 20A. Thiswill maintain the energization of dispatching signal 31 'from lineconductor L1,

through 8, 46, contacts b, conductors 4T and 38, contact strip A, brush22A, segment 21A, conductor 42, signal 31A, and conductors 39 and 17, toline conductor L2 which is in parallel with the circuit through theWinding from contact segment 21A. When the car leaves the floor, thebridging contact 22A, which moves in connection therewith, Will be movedout of engagement with :21A

` thereby breaking the self-holding circuit for relay 100A which willthen drop out opening the contacts b and also deenergizing thedispatching signal 31A. When the relay 100 drops out the normally closedcontacts a will again be closed thereby restoring the system to normaland preparing it for subsequent operations.

We have now considered an operation of the system in Which as the car Aapproached and stopped at the terminal floor, its floor lantern A Wasenergized but remained energized only until the dispatching signal 31Awas energized. The floor lantern was eX- tinguished When the dispatchingsignal was energized but the latter Was maintained by a self-holdingcircuituntil the car left the floor.

The operation of the system in connection with cars B and C is similarto that set forth in connection With car A and Will not be repeated. Thesame reference numerals are applied to the equivalent elements inconnection with each car except for the addition of a character A, B orC to designate with which car the element is associated.

The embodiment yof our invention described is merely illustrative and issusceptible of many changes and substitutions in the arrangement of theapparatus described.

' Wye, therefore, do not desire to be limited to the details shown,except as defined in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable pasta loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor forindicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers,means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when thecar is positioned at the floor, a dispatching system for starting thecars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including asignal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, and meansactuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal for acar for deenergizing the floor lantern for that car.

2. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable pasta loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor forindicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers,means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when thecar arrives at the Hoor, a

dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according toa predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and meansfor energizing the same, and

means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signalfor a car for deenergizing the floor lantern for that car includingcooperating means for maintaining the floor lantern in a deenergizedcondition.

3. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable pasta loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor forindicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers,means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when thecar arrives at the floor, a dispatching system for starting the cars ina certain order according to a predetermined plan including a signalcarried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated inresponse to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car fordeenergizing the floor lantern for that car and means for restoring thesystem to normal When the car leaves the loading floor.

4. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable pasta loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor forindicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers,means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern When thecar arrives at the loor, a dispatching system for starting the cars in acertain order according to a predeterminedplan including a signalcarried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated inresponse to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car fordeenergizing the floor lantern for that car including cooperating meansfor maintaining the floor lantern in deenergized condition, and meansfor deenergizing said maintaining means and restoring the system tonormal when the car leaves the loading floor.

5. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable pasta loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading iloor forindicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers,means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when thecar arrives at the floor, a dispatching system for starting the cars ina certain order according to a predetermined plan including a signalcarried by each car and means for energizing the same, and meansactuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal tomaintain the energization thereof.

6. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable pasta loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor forindicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers,means individual to each car for energizing its Hoor lantern When thecar arrives at the floor, a

dispatching system for starting thecars in a certain order according toa predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and meansfor energizing the same, means actuated in response to the energizationof the dispatching signal to maintain the energization thereof, andmeans for deenergizing the dispatching signal and restoring the systemto normal When the car leaves the loading floor.

7. In a signaling system for a-plurality of elevator cars operable pasta'loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor forindicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers,means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern When thecar arrives at the floor, a dispatching system for starting the cars ina certain order according to a predetermined plan including a. signalcarried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated inresponse to the energization of t-he dispatching signal :'t'or a car fordeenergizing the floor lantern for that car including cooperating meansfor maintaining the dispatching signal energized.

8. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable pasta loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading ioor forindicating that the corresponding car -is prepared to receivepassengers, means individual to each car for energizing its ioor lanternWhen the car arrives at the door, a dispatching system for starting thecars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including asignal carried by each car and means for energizing the saine, meansactuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal for acar for deenergizing the ioor lantern for that car including cooperatingmeans f for maintaining the dispatching signal energized and the iioorlantern deenergized.

9. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable Vpasta loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor forindicatingthat the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers,means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when thecar arrives at the floor, a dispatching system for starting the cars ina certain order according to apredetermined plan including a signalcarried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated inresponse to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car fordeenergizing the floor lantern 'for that car including cooperating meansfor maintaining the dispatching signa-l energized, and means fordeenergizing said dispatching signal and restoring the system to normalwhen the car leaves the loading floor. y

l0. In asignaling systemfor a plurality of elevator cars operable past aloading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor forindicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers,means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when thecar arrives at the oor, a

dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according toa predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and meansfor energizing the same, means actuated in response to the energizationof the dispatching signal for a car to deenergize the iioor lantern forthat car including cooperating means for maintaining the dispatchingsignal energized and the floor lantern deenergized as long as the carstands at the loor, and means for deenergizing said dispatching signaland restoring the system to normal when the car leaves the loadingfloor.

ll. In a signaling system for an elevator car operable for a pluralityof floors, including a loading floor, a floor lantern at the loadingfloor for indicating that the car is prepared to receive passengers,mea-ns for energizing the said floor lantern when the car is at the saidloading floor, a dispatching signal, means for energizing thedispatching signal to indicate to the car attendant that the car shouldleave the loading floor, and means operably responsive to energizationof the dispatching signal for restoring the floor lantern to itsdeenergized condition.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names this 22ndday of November, 1929.

HARGLD IV. HATTINGLY. BIRNEY B. HINES.

